Radical Stepmoms

Christina welcomes Mandy, a stepmom who had a slow start into her role and led with optimism about what her blended life would be like. They discuss what it's like to be a stepmom when your close friends can't relate, having a higher needs stepkid who doesn't like you, parallel parenting and step-parenting in a multi-racial/cultural dynamic. Mandy didn't always feel connected to her stepson and st...

Christina chats with Melissa, a stepmom who has been through so many of the common stepparent aches, pains, and downright miseries. As her stepkids are entering adulthood, she is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and is offering her insights and advice. As a product of divorce herself, Melissa jumped into her blended life trying to make it better and in the process lost her sense...

When you think of stepmotherhood do you think about self-love and confidence? How can showing ourselves more compassion allow us to have more compassion for others? In the stepmom life we're faced with countless situations that cause us to doubt ourselves and to take things personally. In this episode, Christina welcomes fellow social worker and author Megan on to discuss how the way we view...

Christina and Jess discuss the complex feelings that can accompany Mother's Day. Whether you want to be celebrated, dread it and can't wait for the day to end, feel content, fulfilled or everything in between... your feelings are VALID. So what can we do? Christina and Jess talk how they've celebrated (or not) the day, loyalty binds, advocating for your needs, handling gifts and how our partner's...

Christina welcomes back a fan favorite - her husband's stepmom, Tina! They discuss how the relationship with the ex has changed over the years, the worries of a stepmom and the importance of staying true to yourself even if it means rocking the boat. Tina shares stories about Christina's husband's childhood and how she handled not being liked. With over 30 years of stepmom experience, what's Tina'...

Meet Lauren, who like all of us didn't plan to be a stepmom but found herself in love with someone who had kids. We never know what we are getting into, and Lauren's story takes the cake. What would you do if you found out your beau had another baby on the way? Lauren shares her journey of navigating three stepkids, three exes and how she keeps her sanity. Listen in as we discuss relationships wit...

Christina and Megan discuss the expectations we bring into our blended families and what we do when they aren't met. What do we do when the dynamic with the ex isn't as great as we thought it would be? What if our involvement causes more issues? We thought it would be different, so how do we accept this reality? Listen in as Megan shares how her childhood impacted her idea of what it's like to be...

Christina chats with Meredith a stepmom to two kids and navigates TWO very different exes. Meredith shares her story of strength through relentless custody battles, how she protects her peace, and how she supports her partner through their own trauma recovery. While she never wanted children, she's committed to being a solid influence in her stepchildren's lives. What can we learn from Meredith? L...

Are you exhausted from carrying the mental load of the household? Do you feel like you're the one managing everyone and even asking for help and delegating seems laborious? Yea - you're not alone. In this episode Christina chats with Laura Danger, an educator, wife and mom who discusses the tension many couples face when there is inequity in domestic labor. They'll talk about the Fair Play Method...

Christina chats with Zoie, a stepmom who saw a need within the blended family community and took things into her own hands. How do we explain blended families to our kids? How do we comfort them when they have fears and how do we answer the hard questions? Answer: A children's book that actually makes stepmoms look GOOD! Listen in as Zoie Seay shares about her book 'The Luckiest Child: Becoming a...

Christina welcomes back Maarit from Blended Family Frappe to chat....well everything. Maarit gives an update on her life outside of Instagram and stepmotherhood. They chat disengaging, self awareness, taking care of yourself, stepmom acceptance and plenty more. Grab your beverage of choice and buckle up for some self reflection. Listen in!  About My Guest:  Maarit is a writer, artist, and former s...

Christina chats with Angela, a stepmom to two who grew up wanting to be a mom. She never thought she would be a stepmom navigating long-distant co-parenting, a pandemic, and her own classroom of kids to teach. Angela opens up about her PCOS diagnosis and how she soothes her heart through this chapter. What keeps this radical stepmom strong? Listen in! Mentioned in the Episode: Blog Post: School &...

Christina welcomes Brenda, the founder and Publisher of StepMom Magazine on to chat all things stepmom. Not only has Brenda become a seasoned stepmom, but she's made it her mission to help others through their journey. What commonalities do we all have? How do we know it will be "worth it"? Brenda discusses the most common issue stepmoms face, and offers her piece of advice. Listen In!  About My G...

Christina chats with Jeni, a mental health therapist specializing in maternal mental health. As a mother and stepmom herself, Jeni discusses the intersections of mental health and all forms of motherhood. Self care is drilled into us, but how do we really care for ourselves? Jeni and Christina chat the pressures to be "perfect", mom guilt, the relationships with our partners and our step-kids. Lis...

Christina is welcoming back attorney and high conflict parenting coach, Michelle! You may remember her from Season 3: Episode 32 - if not, listen to that one too! On this episode, Michelle is answering listener's questions. What is the best way to manage a high conflict ex who is constantly presenting with double standards? What do you do when the ex refuses to respond to an email? She'll answer t...

Christina chats with Kelly, a stepmom and licensed clinical psychologist to unpack that complicated question of: Am I supporting my partner or am I enabling them? It feels like a fine line, right? They chat the many factors that contribute to a stepmom's motivation to jump in to "support": mental health, our shit, their shit, the damn patriarchy! When do we know when our support isn't actually ser...

Christina welcomes back seasoned stepmom, Laurie Short. You may remember her from Season 3: Episode 25! In this episode, Laurie gives the pep-talk all stepmoms need to hear. Stepmotherhood is not easy, but we have to keep the long-view perspective. How do we keep focus on the little moments? How do we take care of ourselves? How do we not let the hard stuff ruin our spirit and sense of purpose? Li...

Christina and Stevie discuss heartache, finding love, and how the stepmom role changes and challenges you. Topics Discussed:  Fertility & Miscarriage  "Ours Baby" - sharing news with SK's and the ex  Preparing for baby - transitions for the SK's  Sharing your big moments with the ex & SK's and the complicated feelings that follow  When the ex becomes a stepmom Listen in as Stevie shares her inspir...

When second marriages are statically "doomed" Christina and Brooke discuss what it takes to make a blended family successful. Brooke shares her experience of being a long-distance stepmom, how she handles "mini wife syndrome" and how she nurtures the relationship with her stepkids and her "ours babies". Listen in as Brooke and Christina break down the hardships, the joys, and the lessons they’ve l...

Christina chats with Ann, a parent coach who offers a unique holistic approach to parent work that includes emotional support, home management skills, AND effective discipline. Ann may not be a stepmom, but through her work with blended families she offers insights into how stepmoms can find their voice in their home, how to navigate discipline, and how stepmoms can overcome barriers to bonding wi...

Christina invites her husband, Jacob back on to answer your questions! Do they ever feel like blended life is too hard? What made them fall in love? How do they handle the tough conversations and how does Jacob feel when Christina shares her stepmom hardships? While the two answer questions they also recognize and celebrate the growth they've experienced over the years. There's always room for imp...

Christina and Genet chat holidays, G gives an update on what she's been up to, and they discuss plans for the upcoming year. They also answer questions submitted by listeners. Does G feel taken advantage of after she invested so much time into being a stepmom? When is it a good time to schedule with a stepmom coach? And more! Listen in!  So much more than a podcast!!!  @radicalstepmomspodcast  Wan...

Christina and Marykate discuss the complexities surrounding the relationships with Mother In Laws. Marykate shares her story of navigating her high conflict MIL, the ways it impacted her relationship with the ex and the boundaries necessary to honor herself, her partner and her step-daughter. We may not get to pick our family, but we have a choice in our boundaries. If you have a difficult relatio...

Christina chats with Kisha who shares her unique story of how she stepped up when the ex wouldn't and the double standards that followed. Listen to this stepmom's story of being labeled the "homewrecker", being a full-time stepmom, and how she supported her stepson through his heartache, teenage years and beyond. Listen in!  Find her on Instagram: @kisha.paloma.lani So much more than a podcast!!!...

Christina chats with Scarlett who shares her journey of blending families, raising teens and going from fulltime to minimal contact. When the kids left the house to live with their mom, how did Scarlett and her husband cope? What lessons did she learn along the way? What has she done to rebuild the relationships with her kids?  Listen in to a story of vulnerability, redefining your role as "stepmo...